Bow-rest and clamping device.



BOW REST AND CLAMPING DEVICE. APPUCA T'IOH FILED. OCT. 9, 191% I 1 $46,733 1 Patnted Nov. 13, 1912.

OLIVER n. EsoHLIraAN, or CANTON, OHIO, AssIGNor.

TUBING COMPANY, or CANTON, OHIO, a CORPORATION or OHIO.

' BOW BEST AND CLAMPINGDEVICE.

TED snares PATENT 0pm Specification ofLetters Patent.

TO THE GILLIAM MANUFAC- PatentedNov. 13,1191 '7.

Application filed Gctober 9', 1914. Serial N 0. 865,799. I

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, OLIVER E. Esonnr- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Canton, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in and Relating'to Bow Rest and Clamping Devices, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to bow rest and clamp devices for supporting and firmly clamping the bows of a vehicle top when folded or collapsed.

For the purpose of illustration I have, in the accompanying drawings, shown and herein described one form of mechanism einhodying my invention.

Figure l is a fragmentary view of a portion of a vehicle having a top, the bows of which are folded or collapsed and clamped by a device embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the bow rest and clamp device, the clamp member being shown in operative position against the bows which are shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a front view of the device.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view with parts in section.

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. :2.

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view showing in dotted lines the position of the clamping member when rotated to permit lowering or raising of the bows.

In the drawings, 1 indicates a vehicle which may be of any suitable construction. 2 indicates a top having a set of bows 2* which are adapted to be raised over or above the vehicle 1 and extended relative to each other, or folded rearwardly and collapsed as shown in Fig. 1.

3 indicates as one being shown), arranged at opposite sides of the vehicle 1, for supporting and clamping the bows 2 in a folded or collapsed position.

Each supporting and clamping-device 3 comprises as an entirety a supporting means i having a rest member 5, a clamping memher 6, cooperating with the rest member 5, and devices 7 for operating the clamping member 6.

The supporting means preferably comprises an arm 4 which is adapted to be seround, thus rest member 5 longitudinally of and angu- '6 to' receive the pivot 6 cured to theside of the vehicle l in any suitable manner and a dependingmembent whichat its lower end extendslaterally, as

shown at 4, and carriesthe 'member 5011 which the lowermost bow 2 rests The'de pending member l and arm 4 may be'detaehably secured together.

he rest member 5 preferably comprises a body portion 5, a collar or ring 5" which is formed with the arm 4:, and a plate 5 on'which'the adjacent bow 2 is supported. v

The body portion 5 may be formed with a screw threaded opening 5"" to receive a set screw 5 the inner end of which is adapted to engagethe arm i to lock or secure the rest member 5 thereto. The opening in the collar 5 and the arm 4 are preferably permitting adjustment of the larly about the arm 41 collar 5 grally.

The'body portion 5, and plate 5 maybe formed inte- The clamp member G-preferably comprises a post 6 and a bow engaging member or. plate 6' which is adapted to engage with the uppermost bow 2 and clamp the set of bows upon the rest plate 5 The upper end of the post 6 is preferably bent laterally to form a pivot 6 may be swiveled. The clamp plate 6 is preferably formed with an integral body portion 6, in which is formed an opening The outer end of the pivot 6 is preferably provided with a removable pin'6", or other equivalent device, Which prevents accidental disconnection of theclamp plate 6 from the pivot 6 This construction permits the clamp plate 6 to move angularly about the pivot member 6 and also longitudinally thereof to accommodate itself to the uppermost how 2* when the an entirety devices (only tive to the vehicle 1, upon the rest plateii For this purpose the rest member 5 is preferably formed with a vertical opening 5 to 'slidably and rotatably receive the lower end of the post 6 p I I Of the operating devices 7, 7 indicates a an opening 5, to receive on which the clamp plate and clamping pivot T for the the post 6 The lever 7 is adapted to be swung from a position, see dotted lines in Fig. 2, to release the post 6* to a position, in which the post 6 will cause the engagement of the bows between the rest plate 5 and clamping plate 6*. When the lever 7 is moved up or down it operates through the link 7" to move up or down the clamping member 6. 1 preferably provide two links 7 arranged uponoopposite sides of the post 6 so that the action of the lever thereon may posite sides. The connection 7 between the upper ends of the links 7 and the post 6 preferably comprises two ring members 7, 7*, the lowermost one, 7 of which is secured preferably by a pin W, to the post 6 while the uppermost collar, 7 is pivotally connected to the upper ends of the links 7, as shown in the drawing. The uppermost collar 7 loosely surrounds the post o to permit the latter to rotate relative thereto, and bears upon the collar 7 It will be. seen from this construction that by the engagement of the collar 7 with the collar 7, the clamping member 6 may be moved downwardly by the operation of the lever 7*; at the same time, when the clamping member 6 is released, it permits angular adjustment of the clamp member 6, independently of the operating devices, relative to the rest member 5, to the position shown in dotted lines in Fi g. 7, when it is desired to fold th bows 2 downwardly thereupon or to elevate them in raising the top 2.

7 indicates a spring preferably interposed between the ring 7 and her 5. The spring 7 is preferably of the coiled type and loosely surrounds the post 6*. The lower end of the spring bears upon the rest member 5 of the supporting means 4:, while its upper end bears against the collar 7.

The spring 7 is arranged to be compressed when the lever 7 is operated to clamp the bows 2". Upon the release of the lever 7 the spring 7, acting on the collar '7 elevates the post 6 and the collar 7, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2.

8, 8 indicate pairs of stops, preferably provided upon the lever 7, and arranged to be engaged by the links 7 to limit the movement of the lever when it is moved from one position to the other. The stops 8 are by preference suitably arranged relative to the pivot 7 of the lever 7 to permit it to be moved to a predetermined position,

that is, a position wherein the pivot 7 for be equalized upon its opsleeve 9.

the rest memthe bows of a vehicle top.

the lower ends of the links 0 are dispose-.1 to one side of a line passing through the pivot 7 for the lever 7 and the pivot of the connection 7 as showirin Fig. '2; as the spring 7 acts upwardly on the links 7" through the collars 7 7 it will be seen that when the lever 7 is moved to this position it will be locked against return movement, since the spring must be slightly compressed before the lever 7 to release the clamp member 6.

'3 indicates a device for adjusting the clamping member 6 bodily into position whereby it may eh ectively cooperate with the rest member 5. The adjusting device 9 preferably comprises a hollow member or sleeve to whchone element-preferably the lever "l -of the operating devices is pivotally connected, aswill be later described. The outer surface of the sleeve 9 is provided with screw threads which engage screw threads provided on the walls of the opening 5 formed in the b dy portion 5. The upper end of the sleeve 9 may be provided with a shoulder a which forms a suitable polygonally shaped abutment for the spring 7 and means by which the sleeve 9 can be rotated to adjust it endwise in the opening 5. A nut 9 may be provided to lock the sleeve in any position to which it may be adjusted. 9 ind cates a supporting device secured to the lower end of the The supporting device 9 is provided with a bearing member 9 to which the lever 7 is pivoted. As the sleeve 9 is interposed between rcst member 5, and the spring 7 and lever 7*, it will be seen that by its adjustment vertically the clamp mem- G s v per 4 may oe moved veitically and with it the operating devices therefor.

The operative positions of the parts are shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, with the bows 2 of the top 2 clamped upon the rest member 5 and rigidly supported relative to the vehicle If it be desired to raise the topfl, the lever 7 is operated to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. This releases the post 5 which may then be elevated or disengaged from how .Ztand rotated into an inoperative position-see dotted lines in Fig. 3or out of the path of movement of the bows. The bows may then be raised in the usual manner. Likewise prior to the operation of folding the bows 2* upon the rest member 5, the clamping member 6 is moved to the inoperative position; thereupon the clamping member 6" is moved back to its first position and the lever 7 swung downwardly and locked, as has been already described.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a simple form of construction comprising few parts pivotally connected together to clamp and unclamp It will also be can be operated the uppermost seen that the pivot between the lever 7 and the supporting means is so arranged relative to the pivot between the link 7* and the lever 7 that when the lever is operated from one position to another it moves the adjacent pivot for the link to one side of a line passing through the pivot between the lever and supporting means and the other pivot for the link between it and the clamping member. From this construction it follows that by the provision of a resilient device between the pivots for the link which must be placed under tension each time the lever is operated, the lever may be normally held against movement. This operation will be clear by reference to Fig. 2 where the lever '7' is shown in operative position with the pivot 7 at the left hand side of a line passing through the pivots 7 7. As the spring 7 is acting upwardly 011 the collars 7, 7 and the link 7", it will be readily seen that the lever 7 is held against movement to the inoperative positionsee dotted lines in Fig. 2.

To those skilled in the art of making devices of the class described, many alterations in construction and widely differing embodiments and applications of my invention will suggest themselves, without departingfrom the spirit and scope thereof. My disclosures and the description herein are purely illustrative, and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. In a device of the cha aster described, the combination of a pair of members, one stationary and the other movable, arranged to support and clamp a set of bows between them. a lever pivotally connected to the stationary member, a lmk pivo a 'v connected at its opposite ends to said movable member and said lever, the pivotal connections of the link with said lever being beyond its pivotal connection with the stationary member and said lever being swingable to move the adjacent pivot of the link to a position on either side of a line passing through the pivots for the lever and the other end of the link, and stops to limit the swinging of said lever.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a pair of members, one stationary and the other movable, arranged to support and clamp a set of bows between them, a lever pivotally connected to the stationary member, a link pivotally con nected at its opposite ends to member and said lever, the pivotal connections of the link with said lever being be- Copies of this patent may be obtained for a position on either said movable yond its pivotal connection with the stationary member and said lever being swingable to move the adjacent pivot of the link to side of a. line passing through the pivots for the lever and the other. end of the link, and stops arranged to be engaged by the link to limit the swinging of said lever. I

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of two members, one movable and the other stationary, arranged to support and clamp a set of bows betweenthem, and means for operating said movable member, the said means including a lever pivotally connected to said stationary member and a link pivotally connected at its oppositeends to said lever and said movable member, and means for adjustably supporting said movable member and operating means on the other member.

4. In a device of the character described, the combination of two members, one movable and the other stationary, arranged to support and clamp a set of bows between them, and means having a resilient device for operating said movable member, the said means including a lever pivotally connected to said stationary member and a link pivotally connected at its opposite ends to said lever and said movable member, and means for adjustably supporting said movable member and operating means on the other member.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of a pair of members adapted to support and clamp a set of bows between them, one of said devices being movable, and spring controlled means for operating said movable member, said means including a lever pivoted to one of said members and a link pivotally connected at its opposite ends to said lever and the other of said members.

6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a bow rest member, a tubular member supported thereby, a clamping member arranged to cooperate with said rest member and having a post movably supported in said tubular member, a shoulder formed upon said post, devices interposed between said tubular member and said shoulder for operating the clamping member, and means for adjusting said tubular member.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

OLIVER E. ESCHLIMAJ.

lVitnesses r WILLIAM H. MILLER, B. T. STEINER.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

